AfriForum and Solidarity Meet Donald Trump’s Officials, SA Furious As Groups Seek USA’s Intervention

• AfriForum and Solidarity arrived in the United States of America to ask for intervention in South Africa
• The groups are calling for America's assistance in putting pressure on the African National Congress (ANC)
• South Africans accused the group of treason and urged the government to take action when they return
• A proudly South African Afrikaner spoke to Briefly News about Trump's offer for refugee status in the USA

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has spent a decade reporting on the South African political landscape, crime and social issues. He spent 10 years working for a community newspaper before transitioning to online

WASHINGTON, DC — AfriForum is currently in the United States of America to meet with the Donald Trump administration about what it has called a fight for the interests of Afrikaners.

The lobby group and Solidarity met with senior US government officials at the White House on Wednesday, 26 February 2025, to seek an intervention.

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Lobby groups meet with the Trump administration

They want the US to pressure the African National Congress (ANC) to enact changes to certain policies. AfriForum is particularly unhappy with the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act and Expropriation Bill.

During their visit to the US, the groups' representatives, including AfriForum chief executive Kallie Kriel, handed the officials a memorandum.

Solidarity chairperson and chief executive, Flip Buys and Dirk Herrman, respectively, and AfriForum International Liaison, Jaco Kleynhans, joined Kriel to raise concerns about the contentious ANC policies, which they argue threaten the rights of Afrikaners.

Amid Trump's threats to remove the country from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) agreement, the delegation beseeched the US government to reverse the decision.

“The delegation expressed its gratitude to the Trump administration after [the US President] shone the spotlight on the violations of Afrikaners' rights, and the ANC's reckless policies and poor governance,” AfriForum said in a social media post.

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Proudly South African Afrikaner won’t leave the country

In an exclusive interview with Briefly News, Dundee resident in KwaZulu-Natal, Johann Hamman, weighed in on Trump’s offer to resettle Afrikaners in the US.

Hamman said people need to understand what it means.

“If they are campaigning for refugee status for Afrikaners, they need to identify and train the Afrikaners in what that means. If you arrive in the US, you are [automatically] a refugee; not a welcome guest.

"You're no doubt going to be contained in some kind of housing establishment with the clothes on your back, and you will not be allowed to travel anywhere or go sightseeing. And if you get tired of the Americans, you can't go back home. So, then what?

“I'm no refugee. This is my country, too. My family have been staying here, farming cattle and wine for almost 400 years. All I can say is good luck to those who go. I can only hope it works out for them."

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What you need to know about AfriForum’s unhappiness

• South Africans have accused AfriForum of treason after the organisation supported Trump's claims about the country
• The US government signed an Executive Order declaring that it would promote the resettlement of Afrikaners in the country
• Afriforum distanced itself from Trump's Executive Order to offer refugee status to minority ethnic Afrikaners
• The Presidency confirmed that Cyril Ramaphosa had no plans to meet with AfriForum following Trump's recent threats
• Minister Gayton McKenzie has been criticised for holding a meeting with AfriForum and Solidariteit amid SA-US tensions

South Africans accuse AfriForum of treason

The groups’ visit to the US has caused a stir online, with many denouncing their actions. Inge Saunders said:

“They [SA] must turn them back at the airport and back on the plane when they land. Those people are not South African nor are they looking [out] for the country's best interests. They're in fact an embarrassment.”

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Pride Hamilton stated:

“If they come back and are not arrested for treason, then it will be evident that the government is weak and people do as they please.”

Henri Fröhlich asked:

“Do they not understand how democracy works?”

Clariville Teddy Black Raphoto added:

“Charge them with treason.”

@Malose96682949 said:

“Don't come back. Just stay there and take pictures.”

@StubbornNative1 added:

“This is a declaration against the Republic of South Africa and must be treated harshly.”

Motubatse Ndumiso stated:

“They are collaborating with a foreign state to sabotage ours. They should be investigated and detained if they set foot here again.”

MK Party open case of treason against AfriForum

In a related story, Briefly News reported that it wasn't only ordinary South Africans who were unhappy with AfriForum's actions.

The MK Party opened a treason case against the lobby group at the Cape Town Central police station on 10 February.

Source: Briefly News